ADOPTION OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MICRO SCALE FEMALE ENTERPRENEURS IN MAIDUGURI METROPOLIS, BORNO STATE

Abstract

This paper investigates the use of social media platforms/tools for women businesses as well as the socio-cultural and institutional challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in developing countries such as Northern Nigeria settings. Social media platforms have been found to contribute to value creation, wealth creation and innovation of new and existing product and services in several businesses. Gender constructs is considered among variables which hinder the effective performance of women owned businesses and social media use, either during start-up period and growth expansion stage in the business cycle. A random sample of 105 women entrepreneurs operating in four wards of Maiduguri metropolis were chosen for the study. A structured questionnaire was the research instrument, and analyses were made with Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS vs. 25) for a set of descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found that social media is empowering women entrepreneurs in Maiduguri metropolis by increasing the ease of use, accessibility, Improved business and brand awareness of their business. The study recommends that a comparative research can be conducted for future research on both sexes, which is to understand whether the effect of social media would have any similarities or differences form that of female counterpart than males. This will enable policymakers, and other stakeholders in the SMEs sector are encouraged to facilitate knowledge and enrich relevant literature.